Well, it all starts with an 89 CRX DX. I took out the auto and swapped to manual. Then I took out the 1.5 and replaced the piston rings. The scraper ring was REALLY a pain in the *** to replace because I couldn't figure out how to get it back on the piston itself with the two smaller rings that go on top and bottom. Then, I replaced both of the piston rings above the scraper. I honed the cylinder walls and installed the pistons with a piston ring compressor and a rubber mallet. I put the head on and installed everything. The engine starts on the first crank and revs REALLY fast. Faster than the stock 1.5. It really rips through the gears with the Fidanza 7.5 lb flywheel. Problem is is that it smokes all the time. Oil smoke. I pulled the head and took it to my friend today, (he specializes in cylinder head rebuilding), but there was oil all over the top of my pistons when I removed it. I staggered the rings so the gaps weren't aligned but for some reason I don't think it's the head. Is there any way to find out if it might be the piston rings short of running a compression test because the head is at the shop? Or if anyone might have some other ideas? I really need to get this car running soon.

 

hmm, because of the recent bottom end work I would finger the piston rings. It is entirely possible however that the valve seals are going in the head. If it is a bad oil scraper ring it will not show up in a compression test as the oil rings do not seal for compression. Do a leakdown test to find out if it is the head. Goodluck

 

The fact that you just did the rings coupled with the fact that it sounds like you had alot of trouble with them makes me think that you fucked it up somehow. Are you sure the hone was done correctly also?

 

Yeah I'm pretty sure that I honed it correctly. I used a honing tool with just a small amount of oil coating the cylinder walls. The honing tool was one of the ones with the three stones instead of a bottle brush. I'm just wondering if I had the correct standard bore piston rings. But then again, the rings wouldn't have fit in the block if that was the case. The top two rings weren't too bad to put in but the scraper rings were really a pain in the ***. Anyway guys, I'm really starting to get worried because I really don't want to have to re-ring this thing again. Hopefully I'll get good news back from my friend with the head.

 

i would agree that unless the valve guide seals are going, that the rings are the most likely cause. the simplest solution is the most likely the cause, and that would be the rings.

 

when you removed the pistons did you remove the lip on the cylinder wall?

 

This is a shot of the engine and the tops of the pistons. Here you can see a shot of the oil on top of the pistons. It's on top of all 4 pistons. Can't figure it out. I can see if I messed up one or two pistons, but not all four.

 

Is that rust on the cynlinders?!!!!

 

Did you measure the bore after the hone job? Did you measure the pistons to make sure they were within spec with the bore?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tippyman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is that rust on the cynlinders?!!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yes, it's been sitting for a while in the snow. I am removing the pistons again anyway and am also going to re-hone it. Also, to answer the last person's question, No I didn't check the bore or pistons.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 89D15CRXDX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Also, to answer the last person's question, No I didn't check the bore or pistons.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think you need to measure the bore for every cylinder. If their out of spec that could be causing the problem along with other things. Did you use old piston rings?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by goforbroke &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I think you need to measure the bore for every cylinder. If their out of spec that could be causing the problem along with other things. Did you use old piston rings?</TD></TR></TABLE>
No I bought new ones off of Ebay. I think they were NPR? I forget the actual brand name of them but they said that they were the factory replacement. Also, I just heard that I might have placed the rings in the direction of the oil journals in the wrist pins? The Haynes manual says that I need to face the rings in certain angles so that the gaps don't align with the wrist pins? I've never heard of this before. I've rebuilt many different engines but they were all domestic and this have never happened in any of them.

 

There is something in the repair manual that says, "The ring gaps must be staggered 120 degrees and must NOT be in the direction of the piston pin boss or at right angles to the pin. The gap of the three-piece oil ring refers to that of the middle spacer." I don't quite understand what they are saying here. Can anyone help shed some light on this for me? I'm having some issues with the alignment of the rings and pistons themselves. My rings themselves might not be shot but I think the scraper and the two thin rings on the top and bottom aren't aligned correctly. How do I need to align all of my rings (for the people with experience)? I think that this has something to do with my problem.

 

There is something in the repair manual that says, "The ring gaps must be staggered 120 degrees and must NOT be in the direction of the piston pin boss or at right angles to the pin. The gap of the three-piece oil ring refers to that of the middle spacer." I don't quite understand what they are saying here. Can anyone help shed some light on this for me? I'm having some issues with the alignment of the rings and pistons themselves. My rings themselves might not be shot but I think the scraper and the two thin rings on the top and bottom aren't aligned correctly. How do I need to align all of my rings (for the people with experience)? I think that this has something to do with my problem.

 

What would be the outcome if I mixed up my first and second rings? Would the compression be off or would I have blow-by? I can't figure it out. I pulled my pistons and the ring spacing seems fine. The lower three oil rings are in place and seem fine.

 

Hey, I might have been a dick cheese on this one. I just found this page in my Haynes manual and it shows the correct placing for the ring gaps. I'm sure that they tell you to do this for a reason. When I get my new rings in (which I don't think these ones are bad, they've only been on here for about two months) I'll clean everything again and install it in this order and let everyone know how it worked. My head is at the shop being cleaned and ported. But one thing, I couldn't get the new expanders on the piston correctly so I reused the old ones (with 180,000 miles on them) and I'm definately going to use the new ones for safe measure. But afterwards I am going to run a compression test and keep my fingers crossed the whole time. Thing that gets me is that the engine ran perfectly with no misses or anything. It had a **** load of power but it was burning oil pretty bad.